How difficult are psychological disorders to diagnose?
Obviously, some are more difficult to pin down than others. A “serious personality disorder” may be any of a number of things, so there may be multiple diagnoses. Depression comes in varieties, and there is usually no single diagnosis. (Except as is necessary for the doctor to use a code from the DSM-IV to get paid!) What treatments are used? Again, various, depending on the diagnosis, and other factors. Many “personality disorders” (including depression) are cognitive or “thought disorders” and are often treated with some form of cognitive therapy, e.g., CT, CBT, Rational-Emotive Therapy (Ellis) or Adlerian psychotherapy (Dr. Alfred Adler’s “Individual Psychology”). Improvements are going on all the time as more is learned about the ways people choose their personality disorders, for what purposes in their lives (“Psychology of use” or “functional neurosis”), how they manifest and why (again, with what intended results for the person?), and so on. I find it interesting how many questi
